Jack O Lantern
by Tactition101
Summary: The night after Darkness Rising, Jack has a rather interesting dream where he meets Primus. The spherical god gives him a certain green ring and the path of time takes a bit of a detour.
1. Chapter 1

Jack O Lantern

Summary: The night after Darkness Rising, Jack has a rather interesting dream where he meets Primus. The spherical god gives him a certain green ring and the path of time takes a bit of a detour.

1\. New Abilities

Story Start: The Night After Darkness Rises

Jackson Darby shifted in his bed. He was currently asleep but his eyes were moving about under his lids and his brows furrowing like he was taking the hardest final exam any college professor could make. And his dream was just plain _weird_.

Jack's Dream

He was in a massive chamber that held an orb that seemed like it could be mistaken for the Death Star given its size, massive cables attaching it to the far-off walls of the chamber. The weirdest thing though was how the massive orb seemed to give off a sense of extreme wisdom. And then it _spoke_.

 **Jackson Darby, you have been shown that the world is much larger than you have originally thought. And though you hesitated, you still managed to rally your Will to help the Autobots. But though your conviction is great, your limitations as a human still remain. Therefore, I grant you this power so that you may now help your new friends.**

There was a bright flash of green from up above and Jack looked up to see an orb of green light float down towards him. Instinctively raising his hand, his eyes widened as a green ring landed on his finger and he breathed out "No way!"

 **Use it well young Jackson Darby, for the road ahead contains great strife, and you shall be caught in it. But keep your Will hardened and you shall prevail.**

The world began to white out and Jack quickly looked from the ring back to the orb and said "Wait, who are you?!" He received no answer though as there was a roaring sound drowning everything out.

Back In Jasper

Jack shot up in his bed panting. Running his right hand through his hair, he sighed and said "What a weird…dream?" He trailed off in confusion when he felt something other than fingers rubbing along his head. Pulling it back to look at it, his eyes widened and he said "It wasn't just a dream?!"

Quickly hopping out of bed, Jack took a stance in the middle of his room and took a moment to remember a line he has heard on TV a few times. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath to settle his nerves, he snapped them open and chanted:

In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight.

Let those who worship evil's might, beware my power…Green Lantern's light!

Green light surged around him, filling his room and throwing beams of it out his windows and under his door, fortunately not waking either his sleeping mother or neighbors. When it cleared, Jack looked down at his changed clothes and grinned as he said "This, this is awesome!"

Quickly moving to his garage, he said "Arcee, look at this!"

"Jack? Shouldn't you be in bed?" Arcee asked as her lights turned on and her front wheel turned towards him before she suddenly transformed into bot mode and looked at him incredulously as she asked "Jack, why are you glowing?"

Time Skip: Autopost Omega 1, Thirty Minutes Later

Arcee drove into the Autobot base with Jack flying right beside her. On top of the expected presence of Optimus and Ratchet, the two were also surprised to see Bulkhead with Miko on his shoulder. Miko's eyes widened and she grinned as she said "You too huh?"

Jack blinked and said "You got a ring as well?"

"Oh Jack, Jack, Jack, I got something _way_ cooler than a ring!" Miko said as she stood up on Bulkhead's shoulder before leaping off as far away as she could. Jack yelped but before he could even think of catching her, a smart watch shaped device on her left wrist suddenly unfolded around her forming an exo-suit with large pistons on the legs that easily absorbed the impact and she held the device on her wrist up proudly as she said "Any weapon or armor I can think of, this little beauty can make!" Proving her claim, the exo-suit turned into a general Gundam suit before turning into the MJONR armor from Halo before folding back into the device and it spat out a lightsaber hilt that she activated showing its purple blade, Miko letting out a pleased grin and giggle as she waved it around a little before deactivating it and allowing it to be reabsorbed into her device.

"Well we're all doomed." Jack said with a flat look on his face.

"Hey!" Miko said indignantly before she caught Jack's lips twitching up and she punched his shoulder and said "That wasn't nice Jack!"

"Ow!" Jack said exaggeratedly rubbing his shoulder a bit before he grew serious again and said "I wonder if Raf got anything?"

Almost as if he had been waiting to be summoned, Bumblebee pulled in. But instead of opening his doors to let Raf out, he immediately transformed showing that Raf wasn't with him. Seeing this, all of the Autobots frowned and Optimus asked "Bumblebee, where is your charge?"

"I'm here Optimus!" The _base's speakers_ said causing everyone to look around in confusion before Ratchet's main work station glowed brighter for a moment before a bolt of electricity shot out earning a "By the Allspark!" from the medic. The bolt of electricity shot towards Bumblebee who raised his hand and Raf formed out of the bolt holding a hand to his head and said "THAT's going to take some getting used to." Shaking it once, he looked up with a grin and said "Apparently I can enter anything that uses electricity in any of its parts. You would not BELIEVE what the internet looks like from the inside!"

"Raf can enter machinery." Miko said flatly before she let out a massive grin and punched her right fist into her left palm and shouted "THE CONS DON'T STAND A CHANCE!"

"But how could this happen? None of you had these abilities before." Ratchet said in confusion.

As Bumblebee put Raf on the ground, the three traded looks and Jack said "I had this weird dream where this massive orb connected to the chamber it was in by giant cables gave me the ring."

"Same here." Miko said and Raf hummed and nodded his head in agreement.

"Massive Orb?! Surely you can't mean Primus?!" Ratchet said with wide optics and hand over spark.

"It never said who it was." Jack said with a slight frown.

"None the less, it would stand to reason that Primus would be the one most likely to grant you these new abilities." Optimus said as he walked over and knelt to be closer to their level and continued "However, I must urge that you three do not abuse these new powers, for it is very easy for them to be misused."

"Only for good, scout's honor." Jack said.

Miko snickered and said "You were a scout?"

Jack rolled his eyes but didn't deign to answer to the barb. A few minutes later, Optimus had the kids return home since it was still late in the night.

Time Skip: The Next Day

The next day, the kids brought their science projects that were due the next day with them to put the last details on them as their guardians watched, well, Miko was putting the last touches on her solar system. Raf was having a bit of trouble getting his chemical balance right for his paper mache volcano while Jack was shamelessly abusing the hell out of his Green Lantern ring to rapidly disassemble his basic of basic motorcycles, using an atomizing machine to break the parts down further and then reconstruct them into slightly better grade tech which he then assembled into another motorcycle that he got the specs for from his ring's computer. He didn't go for extremely high quality parts simply because he didn't want to have to explain just HOW he got said expensive bits but the new bike WAS a step up from what he originally had. And no, it couldn't be called cheating because he actually understood how to assemble said bike, he had done it before without the ring after all. That was his rationalization and he was sticking to it.

He was just using a green drill to tighten the last screw of his handle bars when Raf decided to test his volcano. The thing went off with a loud banging sound before there was the sound of a lot of fireworks going off and a LOT of smoke. The commotion brought Ratchet and Optimus running over as the medic yelled "Decepticons! We're under attack!"

"It's no attack, Ratchet. It's my volcano." Raf said even as he waved away the last of the smoke. The volcano promptly sagged in on itself and Raf followed its example, sagging his shoulders as he said weakly "Or was."

Jack, having made a volcano of his own when he was Raf's age said "Too much vinegar, not enough baking soda Raf. Here." He pointed his ring at Raf's volcano and under its light, the paper mache reshaped itself before the light turned into a list holding the required ingredients and the various measurements for them. Raf adjusted his glasses as he studied the list for a minute before he slapped his forehead with a palm and said "I can't believe I used fl oz rather than tbsp for the vinegar measurement, thanks Jack!"

"Mhm hm." Jack hummed as he gave the drill he had kept materialized one last trigger pull before nodding in satisfaction as he dismissed it and said "Miko, how are you doing over there?"

"Just need to give Jupiter it's Red Spot." The girl replied, the green tarp hanging under the orbs Bulkhead was holding up covered in drips of paint. Jack had insisted that she work on top of the tarp he had made for her and to her slight shame it looked like he had been right to.

"What, is going on in here?" Ratchet asked, having finally found his voice after seeing everything that was going on.

"Science Fair's tomorrow, so we're finishing our projects." Jack said, dismissing all of the fancy equipment he had made with his ring. Feeling a set of heavy eyes on him, he glanced up and chuckled while rubbing the back of his neck at the slightly disappointed look Optimus was giving him, though he relaxed when the stare lightened and Optimus twitched his lips in a smile, clearly willing to let the use of the ring to aid in his building go.

"Well, you can't work on these projects in here, you're making a mess." Ratchet said indignantly drawing Jack's attention to the medic.

Jack waved his hand at the tarp he had made and the stand Raf was working on and said "Why do you think I had them work on those? Easier to clean up then the floor."

Ratchet gave an awkward cough and said "Uh, well, that is…" Finally, he threw his hands up and said "Fine!" And stalked back to his station. There was a spark of amusement in Optimus' optics as he nodded at them before he too walked away.

Bulkhead let out a sigh of relief as he said "Nice job Jack, I was afraid that _two_ volcanos were going to erupt."

"Mt. Ratchet remains dormant yet." Arcee said in agreement from where she was leaning against a wall watching everything. Bumblebee also beeped his agreement next to her causing Jack to suddenly focus on him.

Cocking his head, Jack said "Hey Bumblebee, do you want me to see about doing something about your voice? I'm sure I can come up with SOMETHING to help you speak in a way Miko and I can understand."

Bumblebee stiffened with wide optics for a moment before he nodded energetically. He quickly pushed against the wall and got on his hands and knees in front of Jack in order to give him better access to his vocal cords. Jack quickly scanned the area and his ring's computer provided a diagnostic. The sound of it saying out loud what was wrong with Bumblebee's neck and mouth region had Ratchet walking over in medical curiosity. He got back over just in time to see Jack create a green cloud of nanites that swarmed over Bumblebee's neck area in a shimmering mass.

"What are you doing Jack?!" Ratchet asked in alarm.

"Using nanites to turn the replacement voice box you gave Bumblebee into something that matches his original one." Jack calmly stated.

Ratchet blinked and said in wonder "Your ring can do that, just replace any body part needed?"

"Long as it has something to convert into said body part." Jack confirmed with a nod as his Will constructed nanites pulled back away from Bumblebee before being dismissed.

There was a tense moment from the gathered kids and Autobots as Bumblebee rubbed his neck before he said "Testing, testing." His optics lit up as the pieces of metal over his mouth retracted and he shouted happily "I've got my voice back!" He pulled Jack into a hug, barely remembering not to hug too hard as he said "Thank you Jack!"

"Y-yeah, no problem." Jack said before he watched as Bumblebee sprung up to his feet and rushed over to Optimus and said "Optimus, Jack fixed my voice!"

Optimus let out a heartfelt chuckle and said "So I see Bumblebee, that is most excellent news."

Ratchet was giving Jack's ring a contemplative look before he said "Jack, are you finished with your project?"

"Uh, yeah, why?" Jack asked with a cocked head. He paled a little at the large grin Ratchet began to sport.

The Medic let out an only slightly creepy chuckle as he said "I want to see what else that thing can do."

Time Skip: Two Hours Later

It was official, Ratchet loved Jack's new accessory. Medical equipment had been scanned then atomically disassembled before being recombined into better, more efficient and more effective versions. Thanks to the Ring's computer, the Ground Bridge got a major overhaul and was not only now a Space Bridge, but was fifty percent more fuel efficient. Ratchet's work station got some upgrades so that way it was more in line with a proper Cybertronian computer rather than a computer made by a Cybertronian using Earth resources.

But that had been a while ago, and what Ratchet was seeing on his newly improved monitors had him frowning as he said "Optimus! We've got exposed energon on the move!"

Bulkhead stepped up and said "And since we ain't moving it, guess who must be."

"Decepticons." Arcee said stepping up as well.

"Without Megatron?" Miko asked.

"There were more Decepticons than just Megatron you know. Someone had to take over after his destruction." Bumblebee said as he came up on Ratchet's other side.

"Bumblebee is right. Unfortunately, Megatron's legacy will live on as others rise to take his place. And I believe I know who has done the rising. Jack, Miko, Raf, I am reluctant to bring you into the field so soon after you have gained your weapons and abilities, never the less, the choice is up to you."

"I'm in!" Miko said eagerly to no one's surprise.

"I'll come too." Jack said after a moment's consideration.

When everyone turned to Raf, he frowned and said "I believe that my expertise in computers means I'm better served as a Tactical Officer here like Ratchet."

"Very well." Optimus said with a nod of recognition before he turned to the Bots and said "Autobots, Roll Out!"

Ratchet quickly activated the Ground Bridge and the Autobots transformed. Miko joined Jack on Arce in case they had to dismount quickly and then they were rolling through the bridge. Raf watched them go with a bit lip for a moment before he looked at Ratchet as the Medic said "If it gives you any consolation, I believe you made the right choice. Not all of us were made to make a difference on the battlefield, rather, some of us were made to aid the others away from it."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Raf said with a smile and he quickly shot up to Ratchet's shoulder as the Medic went to his work station.

Scene Change Canyon Country

The combat group came out of the bridge and saw in the middle distance Starscream and Soundwave in front of a large metal container with the blue glow of energon coming from it. As Miko and Jack dismounted, the Autobots all transformed and Bumblebee said "Well that could be bad."

"Indeed Bumblebee, everyone, assume covering positions, and await my command." Optimus said and began walking forward, the other Autobots scattering along the canyon floor as stealthily as they could while Jack flew up halfway up the canyon wall, Miko quickly getting to the same height via grappling hook. Both were 'powered up' at this point, Jack in the Green Lantern Corps uniform while Miko had on a fully encased exo suit and a sniper rifle that shot energon bullets rather than metal ones.

As Optimus approached the opening container, Starscream said "Awaken, Warrior. Rise and serve your new Master!"

The rather large Cybertronian inside opened its optics and stepped out of the container, clapping its fists together above its head before it leaned down and said in a booming voice "Skyquake serves only _one_ master."

"Excellent. Your loyalty and devotion will set a fine example for the troops. No need to be timid Skyquake, you may bow." Starscream said, clearly not getting what the other flyer was saying.

Something Skyquake quickly pointed out as he said "You fail to grasp my meaning. I am here on a mission assigned to me by my one Master—Megatron."

"Yes. Him." Starscream said darkly before he put a sense of 'moving on' in his words as he said "Sadly, Megatron is no longer with us."

"Impossible." Skyquake said with narrowed optics.

Sneering, Starscream said " _Why_ is this so difficult for everyone to accept? Skyquake, I located you. I awakened you. Thus, I, Lord Starscream, am now your Master!"

Skyquake didn't take that well, growling and hunching over Starscream which had the much smaller flyer taking nervous steps back. As the bigger flyer got right in Starscream's face, Optimus announced his presence only fifty feet away, nothing for a Cybertronian, showing off the Prime's stealth skills, though whether Soundwave had noticed him and didn't 'say' anything was up for debate.

"It has been a while Skyquake." The prime said, weapons not yet out but still ready for a fight. Scattered around in a way that would give the others clear lines of fire, the Autobots had their blasters out even as they hid behind rock outcroppings.

"Oh." Starscream said flatly when he saw the Prime only to be pushed away as Skyquake stood up and turned to face the Prime as he said "Optimus Prime. I haven't seen you since the Battle of Technar. Megatron ordered me to annihilate you."

"That was a long time ago." Optimus said as he walked a few steps closer.

"That may be, Prime, but my orders still stand." Skyquake declared. All of the hiding Autobots stiffened and Jack formed a sniper rifle of his own while Miko tightened the grip on hers, scope trained on Skyquake's head.

"Is this ancient war still worth fighting when so many comrades have been lost and worlds destroyed?" Optimus asked before he pointed at Starscream and said "If you want to be a true leader, Starscream, then stray from Megatron's path and lead the Decepticons toward peace."

"I would be wiling to consider a truce…" Starscream started in a reasonable tone before he proceeded to put his stiletto heeled foot in his mouth as he continued "If you would be willing to bow before me Optimus Prime."

"Can I shoot him? I really want to shoot him." Miko whispered to Jack.

Whether Jack would have let her open fire before Optimus' order would never be known. Skyquake apparently took offense to Starscream's words as he snarled out "Again?! Bow to this!" The titan flyer back handed Starscream away and into the far canyon wall. Starscream stumbled to his feet and immediately transformed to fly away. Soundwave flew out of the canyon as well when he saw Starscream flee.

"Should have shot him when I had the chance." Miko said darkly as she watched the jet turn to fly over the canyon wall they were on.

Jack let out a noncommittal hum before they turned their attention back to the ground as Optimus said with a clenched fist "Skyquake, this is a new era on another world. Side with the Autobots, and help me end this conflict forever."

"I will NEVER side with a Prime!" Skyquake declared before he pulled out a rotary cannon from his back, only for a pair of sniper bullets to slam into his right hand making him drop the front handle and his bullets harmlessly chewed through the ground. That opened the flood gates and all of the other Autobots shot out of their cover and began opening fire. Skyquake let out a bellow of defiance but quickly fell to the barrage of four Autobots and two sniper wielding humans. Ten seconds after the barrage started, he fell on his back pockmarked with smoking holes.

"Well that happened." Bulkhead said as his blasters returned to being hands and he rubbed his head with his right hand.

"We still got Starscream and Soundwave to deal with." Arcee pointed out as the scanned she canyon tops for the two only to slacken a bit as the two flyers rapidly flew away from the area. "Or not." She said lamely.

"THAT'S RIGHT YOU RUSTED TIN CANS, RUN!" Miko shouted after the fleeing pair causing Jack to sigh and drop his head in his hand.

Optimus glanced up towards the two humans before he refocused his attention on Skyquake's body and said "Had Skyquake strayed from his Master's path, we might not be burying him today."

POV Change: With Starscream and Soundwave

As the two Flyers began returning to the Nemesis, Starscream growled and said "Those blasted Autobots, they always come at the most inconvenient times! If Skyquake had survived, no one would have questioned my ability to lead!"

Soundwave kept his opinion of that statement to himself, not even bothering to play a sound clip to his new 'lord'. Instead, he idly turned his sensors towards where his true Master had perished, half in mourning, half in nostalgia. If he had been human, what he detected would have had his jaw dropping and his eyes rapidly blinking in shock. Instead, he instantly pinged Starscream with the intel.

"What?! Another signal, but Skyquake was the only warrior on this planet." Starscream said incredulously.

Soundwave resent the data, focusing more on the second signal's location.

"The site of our destroyed space bridge. You're not telling me that life signal belongs…to Megatron?" Starscream asked before he stuttered out "B-b-but he was microns from the detonation point! Nothing could have survived that blast! Your sensors must be faulty! Ignore the contact! Delete the coordinates!"

Soundwave ignored the rush of annoyance he felt even as he repinged the information he had and if he was in bot mode at the moment Starscream would have rubbed the back of his head as he said "Oh, what am I saying? O-of course _this_ (he took a moment to chuckle nervously) must be investigated. If Lord Megatron IS up there, then we shall bring him home."

Soundwave waggled his wings in confirmation and the two immediately changed their course, turning upwards and making a sweeping turn so that they were pointed in the right direction and fired their afterburners. It took them only about fifteen minutes of high speed flight to approach the site where Megatron had lost both his undead army and _supposedly_ his life.

As they drew closer, Starscream let out a hum of thought and said "I don't suppose you have an exact location?"

Soundwave sent over the image for radiation and a picture of the area in front of them that was incredibly blurry.

Correctly interpreting it, Starscream said "Hm, residual radiation from the explosion is keeping us from pinpointing his exact location, we'll have to do this old school style. Split up and leave no micron unsearched."

Soundwave immediately split off and deployed Laser Beak for good measure. Starscream growled in displeasure at the fact that they had to search the area for someone who he was _SURE_ was dead before he transformed into Bot Mode and began looking as well.

Ten minutes later, Starscream tsked to himself and said "No one could have survived this." Shaking his head, he continued "The last thing I need right now are rumors that Megatron actually-" He suddenly heard a groan and if he was human, he would have paled as he finished weakly "Survived?" Quickly moving to where he heard the groan, he found Megtron's badly beaten frame, a gaping hole in his chest that lead straight to his spark chamber. Coming closer, Starscream placed his hands on Megatron's body and said "Megatron."

"Die!" Megatron barked out as he shot up and grabbed Starscream's shoulder. He glared at Starscream for a moment before he slumped back as he lost his strength again.

"But how?" Starscream questioned before he spotted the Dark Energon shard in his chest and said "Ah, Dark Energon." Leaning in, he said "I'm sorry Master, but for my plans to succeed, you must tragically die before we can get you back to the ship." So saying, he gripped the shard of Dark Energon and yanked it out of Megatron's chest, the Decepticon leader's eyes going wide before his optics dimmed and he slumped completely. Starscream studied the shard in his hands for a moment before he stored it. He waited a full minute after just staring at Megatron's corpse before he activated his com link and said "Soundwave, I have found our Master, though he is rather…unwell. I will begin transporting him out of the debris field. Once we are clear of the radiation, call for a ground bridge so that we may bring him to the ship's medical bay."

He got a single ping that showed Soundwave's confirmation of orders given and began to nudge Megatron's body out of the debris field, though he didn't take particular care to avoid some of the smaller bits of debris along the way. While he would have preferred Megatron to already be dead by the time he had found him, Starscream was sure it wouldn't be long now…

END

Author's Notes: Update Schedule is on my Profile. There is also a poll up so I suggest you check to see if it's a new one.

I decided to add a bit more to this starter chapter than I had before. The tricky part had been how do I get Starscream to still rip out that Dark Energon shard from Megatron's spark chamber when Soundwave wasn't busy recording the Skyquake vs Optimus and Bumblebee fight. The answer? Radiation preventing a precise lock requiring a split up search.


	2. Chapter 2

2\. Good Day To Go Bug Hunting

Story Start: Artic Circle/Six Days After Chapter One

Bulkhead and Bumblebee were currently trudging their way through a 'minor' snowstorm, the smaller scout keeping a hand in front of his face as he called to Bulkhead "We there yet?!"

Bulkhead tapped at his scanner and shook his head as he said "No, we're not there yet, but it should be just past this ridge, Bumblebee." The two kept walking for a minute before they reached a ridge that had a steep but slide-able incline and the two skid their way down. Looking at his scanner again, Bulkhead said "I don't get it. These readings are off the meter."

Bumblebee noticed something and said "Bulk, take a look at this." 'This' turned out to be what looked like a giant hunk of metal buried about ten feet into some relatively clear ice.

Scene Change: Back At Omega 1

Bulkhead sighed as he began pulling a clear tube with blue, warm energon in it off his chest and stood up as he said "I told you, doc, we're fine."

Ratchet pushed him pack down into a seating position and said "The only way to be certain you're fine, Bulkhead, is to endure standard defrosting procedure. You know prolonged exposure to sub-zero conditions can cause permanent system damage."

He turned as Optimus and Arcee approached and the Prime asked "Ratchet, have you learned anything more about our arctic find?"

"Not yet." Ratchet said as he walked over to a monitor showing a video feed of said find and continued "The pod can't be opened while it's frozen solid."

In the room holding said pod, a large puddle of water was forming as the ice surrounding the pod melted. As some of the metal was exposed, there was suddenly a scraping sound before the metal cracked, then a hole was ripped open, a small metal digit thrusting out…

Thirty minutes later, Ratchet finished setting the coordinates for the ground bridge and pulled the lever. As Optimus and Arcee walked over to the now open portal, Optimus said "Arcee and I will search for any clue which might explain the origin of our artic find."

" _Only_ until your sensors sound." Ratchet said sternly as he tapped at one of his tools before pointing it at the two's Autobot insignias which flashed blue as he continued "Remember, once your core temperature drops into the blue zone, system failures aren't likely—They're imminent."

Anything else that might be said was cut off by the sound of Bumblebee and Bulkhead's engines revving as they pulled in. As the three children inside opened car doors, Miko happily called out "Miss us, Doc Bot?"

Ratchet groaned and said "Shouldn't they be in school?"

Miko scoffed and said "On Saturday? We have the whole weekend off, to spend with _you_." Miko's grin was matched by Ratchet's look of 'Why me?' causing her to giggle as she walked past.

As he followed her, Jack glanced at Arcee and said "I wasn't expecting to carpool. What gives, Arcee?"

"Tag team, Jack. It's my turn for exploration duty." Arcee said as she nudged her head towards Optimus.

Jack tried to guilt trip her as he smiled and said "Oh, too bad. It's a beautiful day for a ride. Would hate for you to feel guilty for leaving me indoors."

Arcee smirked and said " _Artic_ exploration duty."

Aaand there goes the blackmail attempt as Jack seamlessly said "Indoors where it's warm." Before continuing on after Miko to the entertainment section of the common area causing Arcee to snicker a little.

Raf though had an excited look on his face as he came up and said "The Arctic? I've always wanted to see snow!"

"I would invite you to join, Rafael, but the conditions are much too extreme, even for we Autobots."

"Oh, I understand." Rafael said trying to hide his disappointment.

Smiling, Optimus turned towards the portal as he said over his shoulder "But, I will bring you back a snowball."

"That would be awesome!" Raf said with a grin and the two Bots began walking through the portal.

Once they were through, Ratchet said "Transport complete." He turned to shut off the Ground Bridge only for sparks to erect from the control device and the bridge spun down with a sound like someone had stuck a shovel full of gravel in a drying machine earning an alarmed "By the Allspark!"

As the kids and the two remaining Front Line Autobots headed for the entertainment center, Miko said "So, what do you guys think we should do today?"

"Video game tournament?" Bumblebee suggested and Jack nodded as he said "Sounds good to me." Jack turned on their Ring begotten Switch and put in Super Smash Bros Ultimate before heading back over.

But just before Bumblebee and Bulkhead were going to wirelessly link up with the system so that they could join the humans in playing, Ratchet called out "Bulkhead, Bumblebee! Here! Now!"

The two grumbled as they left and Jack grinned at Miko as he said "Prepare to get SMASHED."

"Gee, real witty." Miko said with rolled eyes. Seeing that Raf hadn't picked up his controller, she said "Raf, you joining in?"

"Nah, I have stuff to do." Raf said as he slipped off the couch and walked away. Jack and Miko traded a simultaneous glance before Miko shrugged and they turned towards the tv. Soon the sound of rapid buttons being pushed were heard as the two engaged in a furious duel.

As Bumblebee and Bulkhead reached Ratchet, Bulkhead frowned and said "You can't boss us around just because the boss is out."

Ratchet was nonplussed as he said "I need some heavy lifting, the ground bridge is down."

Bumblebee looked alarmed as he asked "Did Arcee and Optimus make it?!"

"Optimus and Arcee made it through just fine. It's bringing them back that concerns me. Now, remove those panels – Chop-chop."

As the two began to do as instructed, Bumblebee said "Think we should have Jack come help? His Ring's Computer DID super charge this thing. Maybe it could figure out what happened."

"We can't just go relying on some shiny new toy at the first sign of trouble. That just leads to laziness." Ratchet said in a lecturing tone even as he began looking through the Ground Bridge's innards.

"Guess you've got a point there." Bumblebee said with a shrug.

Scene Change: With Raf

Raf was 'struggling' against an imaginary wind, hands up in front of his face as he made gusting wind sounds and said "Temperatures sub-zero and dropping. Got to…get back…to base!" Hearing metal clatter to the ground, Raf straightened up and looked around. Spotting a bolt roll into the open, he walked over and picked it up. Scrabbling was heard and he looked around again as he called out "Hello?" He kept looking around, getting nervous, and his right hand began sparking. But on one of his turns, he mis stepped and fell to the ground with a surprised yell. Groaning, he rolled off his back only to let out a surprised shout as he saw a small metallic figure right in front of him, causing him to jump back a little.

As the strange creature cocked its head much like a dog and scuttled over, Ratchet let out a relieved chuckle and said "Where did you come from? The Autobots never said anything about pets." Holding up the bolt, Raf continued "You want to play fetch?" Seeing the creature hop around and run in circles excitedly, Raf laughed and tossed the bolt causing it to scamper after it and called out "Good boy. Go get it!" But when the creature leapt at the bolt in midair and whirring sounds came from it along with sparks he panicked and said "No! Don't eat that! You're gonna choke!" Finishing its snack, the creature turned around and ran happily back to Raf as he said "Or…Not."

The strange creature began nuzzling his leg letting out happy beeping sounds and Raf began to smile and head back to show the others, the creature moving ahead and back like an excitable dog. What Raf never noticed was that further down the hall there was a shredded panel that had sparks coming out of it.

Scene Change: Back In The Common Room

Jack and Miko were both leaning forwards slightly as they dueled, their Smash characters following their commands and trying to cause as much harm to the other as they could. All of a sudden, the power fluctuated and the TV and Switch both stuttered just as Jack got the last killing move in.

"Oh come on!" Jack complained.

"Heck of a time for a power failure." Miko agreed before she smirked and continued in a mock sad tone "And it wiped out our battle scores too."

"And I was finally winning." Jack moaned causing Miko to snicker even as she gave Jack's back a consoling pat.

As they went to join the Bots, Ratchet pulled out a charred circuit from the sparking Ground Bridge and said "We most definitely have a problem. But what could have caused this?"

The lights temporarily shut off before coming back on with a loud thud sound and Bulkhead asked "Or that?"

"Might be the main grid. Hopefully, it isn't a substation malfunction." Ratchet said before he looked back at the charred circuit.

Jack frowned as he looked at the damage to the Ground Bridge and pointed his ring at it. But just before he could use it to scan the set of circuit boards and see what was wrong, everyone heard Raf call out "Hey, guys, look what I found!"

Narrowing his eyes, Ratchet called out "We're busy!" And then he looked up and saw the creature sleeping in Raf's arms and let out a scream of fear. As he and the other two bots quickly stood up and backed away, Bumblebee and Bulkhead formed their guns and pointed it at Raf and his passenger while the Wrecker called out "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!"

Miko and Jack quickly put themselves in front of Raf with their hands up as Miko called out "Hey, hey! What's with you guys?"

"Scraplet! Scraplet!" Bulkhead shouted in absolute fear.

"What's a Scraplet?" Raf asked in confusion.

"The most dangerous vermin ever to crawl upon the face of Cybertron." Ratchet said and Jack and Miko traded confused glances before Jack gestured at the creature and said "This? Are you kidding me?"

"You're giant robots. Scrappy here is…Teeny." Miko said in agreement.

"You have no idea of the damage that teeny thing can do!" Bulkhead said, taking yet another panicked step back.

"Aw, he wouldn't hurt anything." Raf said and Murphy chose that moment to prove that he had a sick sense of humor. The scraplet woke up, and upon seeing the three Cybertronians in its optics, jumped out of Raf's arms with mouth open wide revealing massive teeth and the mother of all garbage disposal mechanisms behind said teeth. As it ran towards the bots, Bulkhead and Bumblebee shot at it. They missed and the scraplet jumped at Bumblebee's leg where it proceeded to eat a curving trail along his leg. Bumblebee stumbled back and hit the floor and when it reached the spike on his knee tried to grab it only for the scraplet to eat through his hand and up his arm. Bumblebee swatted the thing and it flew back to the ground skidding to a stop.

Just as it started stepping back towards Bumblebee Raf shot it with a bolt of lightning stopping it cold. Raf didn't stop though, and fired a second, continuous bolt of lightning, keeping it up until the scraplet was nothing but a hunk of slag metal. Raf took several deep breaths as he stared at his handy work with wide eyes and sparking hands before he flinched as Jack put a hand on his shoulder and said "Whoa, easy there, killer, I think you got him."

"Whoa, I did not see that coming." Miko said with wide eyes of her own.

Raf gasped at her words before he darted over to the Autobots and said "I'm sorry, Bumblebee!"

"It's alright Raf." Bumblebee said with a reassuring smile.

Raf though didn't calm down quite yet as he looked at Ratchet who was kneeling next to the Scout and asked "Is he gonna be okay?!"

"Only a mesh wound, he'll live." Ratchet said causing Raf to let out an explosive sigh of relief.

" _Now_ do you believe me? All Scraplets do is dismantle machinery and eat anything metal - Especially _living_ metal." Bulkhead demanded.

"Well, bug slagged, game over, right?" Jack said as he and Miko came over again.

"No, when it comes to Scraplets, there's never just one." Ratchet said as he looked over his shoulder and continued "And I fear I know how they got in here."

Ratchet stood up and lead the way to the room where they had left their Artic find to defrost. Once there, Ratchet shone the light of his mini welding tool into the jagged hole in the metal object and said "It's a trap - A Scraplet trap."

"Uh, an _empty_ Scraplet trap." Bulkhead said nervously.

"Most likely ejected into space eons ago, only to wind up in the arctic, where the temperature kept them in stasis." Ratchet theorized.

"Until we brought the thaw." Jack said with a frown and Miko nodded as she added "Now they're wide awake and ready to brunch."

"So…How many are we talking about?" Raf asked nervously.

"Thousands." Ratchet said as his welding tool transformed back into his hand and continued "And the power malfunctions and ground bridge damage are sure signs that their infestation is well underway."

Scene Change: The Artic

Optimus was climbing down a cliff when he noticed his sigil flashing blue. Putting a finger to his com he said "Arcee, what's your status?" "My sensor's going off. Guess we should call for pickup before things get chilly." Was his response and Optimus switched channels and said "Optimus to base, core temperature readings have reached the blue zone. Prepare to activate ground bridge." Worryingly, only static was his answer.

Scene Change: Omega One

"Ratchet to Optimus, do you read me? We have a situation." Ratchet said before he scowled as his screens flickered then turned to static. Turning to the others, he said "The Scraplets have gotten into the com-link system! If we don't eradicate these creatures immediately, they will reduce the entire base to a scrap heap!"

"Well I say we bug out of here and let them keep it!" Bulkhead said and Bumblebee eagerly nodded his agreement.

"Evacuation is not an option." Ratchet said before he gestured to the Ground Bridge and said "If we don't get the ground bridge back online stat, Optimus and Arcee will perish."

"They…Will?" Jack asked in concern. Miko turned and stalked over to Bulkhead and said "Bulkhead, you never run!"

"Miko, you haven't seen a swarm of these things devour a bot. I have. They pick you apart from the inside out, going for the small, juicy bits first - Fuse by fuse, circuit by circuit, till there's nothing left, and I mean _nothing_ …not even your optics." Bulkhead defended. And Jack and Raf had no problem admitting that the Wrecker was pretty justified in his fear. Fortunately, there was another option.

Jack's eyes twitched side to side for a moment in thought before he nodded and said "Alright, looks like it's up to us then since we're not made of metal. Raf, you and I will go bug hunting, if it's small and skittish, fry it." His ring formed two scanners that held a rather LARGE collection of dots on their screens and Raf took one with a determined nod. Turning to Miko, Jack continued "Miko, due to your tech being metal based, you're the last line of defense. Keep the bots safe while they work on repairing the bridge. We already know that the Scraplets can't handle cold temperatures, so go with an ice gun or something similar."

Miko grinned and as her smart watch like device folded out a shotgun like weapon with light blue lights along its barrel asked "Did I ever tell you I went as Killer Frost one Halloween?"

As Miko pumped the slide with a satisfying 'ker-chick' sound, Jack and Raf smiled at the joke before all three humans looked towards Ratchet as he said while rubbing his chin "Typically, I find your fleshiness to be your least engaging quality…but it would appear to provide an advantage under these extremes."

Jack nodded and said "Okay, good, then let's get to it. The sooner we've wiped these things out, the sooner we can get Optimus and Arcee back to base."

Scene Changer: The Artic

Optimus and Arcee were walking together as Optimus once more put his finger to his com and said "Optimus to base. Do you read?" Once again static was his only answer.

Arcee fell to the ground and Optimus quickly picked her up. When she was back on her feet, she said "Are you sure a nice long drive wouldn't help? I hear Miami's beautiful this time of year."

"The nearest temperate climate is too distant, Arcee. Attempting to reach it would expend too much energy and hasten the freezing process. Until Ratchet sends for us - And he will - Our best option would be to seek shelter and insulate ourselves." Optimus said before he continued walking, Arcee following after him.

Scene Change: Omega One

Jack was in full Green Lantern mode, flying through the air with multiple Wings of miniature F22 Raptor fighter jets surrounding him. Missiles were constantly being launched by the fighters towards any scraplets he came across and periodically squadrons of four fighters would break off to go into open conduits or air conditioning ducts to hunt down any that were in the walls. At each intersection, a Wing would split off and go down the other hallways to continue the search, another Wing forming to retake their position around Jack. Still, even with multiple constructs making the job go much faster than if he had to destroy the scraplets one at a time, this was taking a while.

But while Jack had gone for the multiple points of attack approach, Raf had taken the singular approach, jumping from scraplet to scraplet in a literally lightning fast stream of electricity that flashed down hallways like Sonic the Hedgehog after drinking a dozen cups of coffee. Every scraplet he touched had smoke come out of its head and dropped to the ground as Raf overloaded their circuits in the split second he was inside of them. Was it as subtle as an ogre with a giant club? Yeah, but it was also _extremely_ effective and quick.

Miko meanwhile had a spinning radar dish on one shoulder and a visor with a heads up display across her eyes as she constantly scanned the common room. Frowning at what she was seeing, she flicked the safety off her shot gun like weapon and called out "How's it going over there?"

Ratchet grunted and said "I've repaired the damaged conductors and rerouted the central conduits, but the ground bridge still won't receive power!" Bulkhead and Bumblebee were both scratching their heads as they tried to figure out what else they could try to do.

"Well you better figure it out fast!" Miko said as she aimed her gun up at a giant air conditioning duct up high on the common room's wall. A moment later, she fired at the massive swarm that was crawling out of it and a bolt of blue light lanced out and slammed into a scraplet, releasing a shockwave of super cold air upon impact that swept out for thirty feet, instantly freezing the scraplets caught in the blast radius. Said victims fell to the floor and shattered upon impact and Miko pumped the slide of her gun chambering the next energy round and as even more scraplets poured out of the duct fired again.

Bulkhead and Bumblebee joined in with their blasters but soon there were whole swarms circling overhead. As another swarm came flying down, Miko snarled and said " _Scrap this!_ " The next instant, her watch spat out multiple blocks of metal which unfolded around her revealing several miniature models of World War II Anti-Aircraft Artillery connected to her by strands of metal. A set of ear protection equipment formed over her ears and there were a few seconds where all of the guns tracked upwards before they began rapidly firing, filling the room with loud thunder as clouds of blue energy bolts soared skyward. It rather quickly began raining scraplets and the Autobots raised their arms over their heads to protect them from the falling debris, Bulkhead quickly placing a hand over Miko to protect her as well.

Ten seconds later, the guns fell silent though the room continued to echo with the sound of the guns firing. But eventually that too died down and Miko slipped her ear phones down and around her neck to rub at her STILL pounding ears even as she said loudly "And that's why you shouldn't fly in packs!"

Bulkhead chuckled and said "That's my girl."

"Yes, that was certainly rather effective." Ratchet said as he glanced at all of the shattered bits of scraplets strewn across the floor before he looked back towards the circuits of the Ground Bridge and said "Now if only I could figure out why this still won't work!"

Scene Change: The Arctic

Optimus and Arcee were leaning against a cliff that protected them from the wind. As Optimus looked out at the deadly but still beautiful to his optics sight, he said "Arcee, wake up."

"Just resting my eyes." Arcee said as she tiredly blinked said sensory organs.

"The longer we remain alert, the longer we remain alive." Optimus said sternly.

"What do you suggest? Wait. How about a game? Let's play "who screwed things up back at base?"" Arcee said with a joking tone at the end.

"Our predicament could be the result of a simple malfunction." Optimus said, willing to play along in order to keep Arcee alert, pun intended.

"Caused by Bulkhead." Arcee said with a twitch of her lips as she continued "Let's see. No com-link. Maybe even no power. The big lug probably tripped over a cord. He's never been too graceful." Arcee chuckled fondly as she said "Remember when we first arrived on earth and Bulkhead walked into those power lines? Who knew he could dance like that?"

"Bulkhead may be...too large for this world, but his inner strength is without bounds. One should not be measured by size alone." Optimus said as he continued looking out into the storm.

Scene Change: Omega One

Jack and Raf returned to the others at the same time. Besides a raised eyebrow at all of the frozen metal bits strewn around the floor and a nod at Miko, Jack didn't acknowledge the others, instead forming a giant push broom that shoved all of the remains into one corner, the scrap metal that had been floating behind him joining them. Raf though ran over to them and said "We got all of the ones out there, Jack even did some kind of wide range scan that came up empty. What about you guys, did you manage to fix the Ground Bridge?"

"Not yet." Ratchet said with a frown before he began tapping his helm with a finger and said "Come on, Ratchet, think! If the ground bridge is still down… then there must be a breach in the energon fuel line. Jack, think you can find the breach and seal it until I can grab my welding frame and a replacement pipe?"

"On it." Jack said with a nod before he floated a few feet off the ground and shot out of the common room to find the leak, Ratchet quickly following.

Ten minutes later, Ratchet said over the short-range Com frequency "Bulkhead, Bumblebee, the breach has been fixed. Open the Ground Bridge."

Bumblebee was quick to do so and the two Bots quickly ran through the bridge. Jack and Ratchet came back the same time the two helped Optimus and Arcee through the bridge. Ratchet was quick to usher them into the medical bay and began immediate defrosting protocol, disaster of the freezing kind narrowly avoided.

It was half an hour later, with Optimus and Arcee resting against the concrete platform holding the kids' entertainment center, that everyone finally relaxed. The kids were on the other side of the room enjoying the large boulder of frozen water that was Optimus' 'snowball', something he had quickly retrieved once he had ten minutes to warm up a little. Optimus _was_ a Bot of his word after all. Ratchet was sitting next to Optimus with closed eyes ignoring the shouts from the kids as he said "I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but I'm glad that this infestation happened on a Saturday."

Optimus smiled and said "Our human friends may be small, but they are strong."

"Ain't that the truth." Ratchet said with a content sigh. There were still repairs to do to the rest of the base, but that could wait for a bit. After all, it WAS the weekend.

END

Author's Notes: Poll and Update Schedule are on my Profile.

I've had this ready for weeks when I lost the muse for one of my Naruto stories. Just goes to show the downsides of keeping to an update rotation schedule I guess.

Would anyone be interested in doing a TVTropes page for this story? PM if you are.


	3. Chapter 3

3\. Con Job

Quick Author's Notes: This chapter was delayed by getting Zaboomafoo Is A Pirate caught up with Pirate King's Tailor (Which is four chapters long). There will be another pause in the updating schedule after to begin doing the same with High Winds On The High Seas.

Story Start: Autobot Outpost Omega One

Bulkhead walked into the main room with Miko on his shoulders as she said "All right, chores are done. _Now_ can we do some dune-bashing?"

Holding up a hand, Bulkhead said "I don't know, Miko. Last time, I spent a week picking sand out of my articulators." He then perked up and made a counter offer as he said "Uh, but, there's a monster-truck rally in town."

Before Miko could respond, everyone in the room heard Ratchet say "Optimus I'm receiving a signal on a restricted band. It appears to be coming from a starship inside this solar system. It's an autobot identification beacon."

"So there are other bots out there?" Jack asked Arcee.

The two wheeler nodded and said "The masses scattered to the galaxies when Cybertron finally went dark, but cons have been known to bait traps with false beacons."

Optimus nodded at her words and said "Unknown vessel, this is Autobot Outpost Omega One. Identify yourself."

"I've had warmer welcomes from Decepticon combat brigades." The Cybertronian on the other side of the radio said.

"Wheeljack?!" Bulkhead said, jerking forward in surprise almost making Miko lose her balance before he made his way up to Ratchet's station and excitedly continued "You old con crusher! What are you doing all the way out here?"

"Bulkhead? That you? What's with all the security?" Wheeljack asked.

"The rock we're on is crawling with cons." Bulkhead explained before he grinned and asked "How soon can you get here and even the odds?"

"Sometime tomorrow if I put metal to the pedal." Wheeljack said, excitement plain in his voice.

Miko grinned and said "Another bot's coming here. How cool is that!"

Optimus looked slightly pensive as he said "Wheeljack - I know of him by reputation only." Turning to Bulkhead, he asked "Can you verify his voiceprint?"

Bulkhead grinned as he said "He is 1,000% the real deal, Optimus."

Nodding, Optimus turned back to the communication station and said "We will send landing coordinates, Wheeljack. Safe journey."

"See you soon, buddy. I'll make sure you get a proper welcome." Bulkhead said, still grinning.

Smirking, Arcee asked "So, who's the boyfriend?"

"Me and Jackie go way back." Bulkhead explained. "We were part of the same war unit, the Wreckers, which means the cons are gonna wish he never found us."

Scene Change: The Nemesis

On the bridge, Starscream listened to the communication Soundwave had intercepted and said "A war hero, hmm? We haven't much time. Makeshift!"

The Nemesis' sole Changeling crewmember stepped forward and Soundwave quickly pulled up Wheeljack's public service information even as his cable latched onto the Changeling who began shifting into the proper form.

Grinning, Starscream said "I, too, know how to prepare a proper welcome."

Scene Change: Omega One

"Wheeljack's ship is approaching the landing zone." Arcee said as most of the Autobots and the Kids watched the monitors. Ratchet meanwhile was standing by near the Ground Bridge controls.

"You think he's here to visit? Maybe he'll stay! Hmm. Have to find his own human, though." Miko said, frowning in thought at the end.

"Ground bridge cycling up." Ratchet said before gasping as the control sparked and the screen blurred. A little bit of percussive maintenance made it behave again and he said "Blasted scraplets! Equipment hasn't been the same since the infestation. Jack, I'm going to need your help again."

Jack sighed and said "I thought we were able to fix all of the damaged parts."

"Apparently not." Ratchet said wryly.

"Could be a software problem as well as hardware." Raf offered, fidgeting with his glasses a little.

"Hm, it's possible." Ratchet acknowledged.

Jack sighed before he turned his focus onto something he hadn't understood before and glanced at Optimus as he said "So, Wheeljack's gonna land halfway around the world and then you'll bridge him here?"

Optimus nodded and said "We can't risk revealing the location of our base just in case the Decepticons are tracking Wheeljack's ship."

Miko meanwhile was watching Bulkhead pace as she said "Dude, I've never seen you so stoked!"

Bulkhead grinned and said "Oh, you're gonna love Wheeljack. We were like brothers. And tonight we are gonna party!"

"Sweet!" Miko said now just as excited.

Her excitement ended though when an alarm began ringing. On the screen, six red dots were now following Wheeljack's blue dot and Arcee said "Bogies closing fast on Wheeljack's position."

"Con scum!" Bulkhead said clenching his fist angrily.

Scene Change: Landing Coordinates

The Decepticons immediately opened fire when they were in range. Wheeljack's ship, the Jackhammer, did it's best to evade the shots but one of them got lucky and hit the ship's back sending it into a crash. The Decepticons landed in the furrow that the crashed ship had carved with blasters out but before the smoke from the ship's landing could clear a blue blaster bolt shot out and slammed into one of the Vehicon drones. As the cloud cleared, Wheeljack's face shield slit into place as he said "If you're trying to ruin my day, you're gonna have to try harder." Launching himself at the other five drones, Wheeljack began tearing them apart taunting "You cons have gone soft on me!"

Scene Change: The Nemesis

Watching the carnage on a monitor, Starscream scowled and said "Swiftly, before the Autobots arrive."

Scene Change: Omega One

"Open the bridge, Ratchet! We're missing all the action!" Bulkhead said anxiously.

Ratchet pulled down the ground bridge lever and said "I'll prepare sick bay."

Bulkhead laughed and said "Who for, the Cons?! This is Wheeljack we're talking about!" And with that he led Arcee and Bumblebee down the tunnel.

Scene Change: Landing Coordinates

They came out to the sight of Wheeljack spearing a Vehicon through the torso in a text book perfect Rapier thrust and Bulkhead chuckled as he said "I taught him that."

Walking towards them, Wheeljack said "Ever think I might need a hand here?"

"What, and spoil the show?" Bulkhead asked with a grin.

"You missed one." Arcee mildly pointed out and without looking Wheeljack fired his right blaster at the Vehicon on his left that was beginning to get up. Coming to a stop before the other three Autobots, his face shield slid off and he said "If this is all you got, the planet's in bigger trouble than I thought."

Bulkhead couldn't contain himself and with a cry of "Jackie!" grabbed Wheeljack in a metal groaning hug.

Grinning down at him, Wheeljack said "Watch the finish, you old wrecking ball!"

Scene Change, Omega One

As the three members of Team Prime plus one came running out of the portal, Ratchet turned off the ground bridge only to jerk back as arcs of electricity came out and the portal shut down much more abruptly then normal. He traded a _look_ with Jack and Raf, the elder of the two actually rolling up his sleeves as they began to find out what exactly it was that they had missed in repairing the portal machine.

Bulkhead though ignored all of that, instead leading Wheeljack over to where Miko was and said "Jackie, come here. Meet my other best buddy, Miko. She can wreck with the best of us."

Miko grinned up at them and waved as she said "Hiya."

Smirking down at her, Wheeljack asked "You keeping Bulkhead out of trouble?"

Grin turning into a smirk, Miko said "I try, but trouble finds us anyway."

"We're gonna get along just fine." Wheeljack said before turning as Optimus thumped his way over. Nodding, he said "Optimus Prime, it's a privilege."

Optimus returned the nod and said "Likewise, soldier. What have you to report from your long journey?"

"Been bouncing from rock to rock searching for signs of friend or foe. Now I find both." Wheeljack said with rueful grin at the end.

Optimus nodded again and said "We are few, but strong. We have suffered losses but we have grown. And we would relish welcoming a new member into our fold."

"I would be honored." Wheeljack said and Bulkhead grinned as he said "Then let's get this party started!"

Bulkhead initiated a chest bump and Ratchet spared just enough time to roll his eyes as he muttered "Oh, joy." Jack let out a slight chuckle before finished undoing the back of the coordinate input panel checking for loose wires while Raf finished hooking his computer to the Ground Bridge to take a look at the software that they had to replace with the scraplets damaging the original circuits.

Scene Change: The Nemesis

"The moment Makeshift passed through that ground bridge, we lost his tracking signal. The Autobot base is no doubt heavily shielded to prevent us from locating it." Starscream mused to Soundwave as they walked down a corridor before smiling as he said "Ah, no matter. I have complete faith in Makeshift. Our inside man is already inside."

Entering a doorway revealed Wheeljack, this one the real deal hanging suspended from a set of binders connected to the ceiling by streams of electricity which continuously shocked the Wrecker. Looking up defiantly, Wheeljack said "Tell Megatron he's fragged in the head if he thinks Bulkhead won't sniff out an imposter."

Starscream let out a small growl before he said "Haven't you heard? _I_ lead the Decepticons now."

Wheeljack scoffed and said "You?! Ha!"

Growling even more, Starscream drew back his hand, but before he could spear the Wrecker, Soundwave captured his arm. Growling even more, Starscream visibly got himself under control before he jerked his arm free and said "Yes! Yes, he may yet be of use. Makeshift is very good at keeping up appearances. He need only fool your friends long enough to open their ground bridge from within so that I may finally learn the location of the Autobot base and send in my strike team to stain its floor with the spilled energon of Optimus Prime."

Waiting outside on the top of the ship was said strike team, Vehicon drones standing in three by three squares, ten squares deep and two across, a hundred and eighty strong.

Scene Change: Omega One

With Jack and Raf's help, Ratchet thought that they had _finally_ finished bringing the ground/space bridge back into _proper_ working order. All that was needed now was for the portal generator to run through a restart sequence to make sure all of the software fixes integrated with the whole properly. As such Jack and Raf were now free to enjoy themselves, listening to Miko play her electric guitar while watching as Bulkhead and 'Wheeljack' tossed a massive chunk of metal at each other.

Sitting next to his partner, Jack gestured and said "So, what's that about?"

"It's called lobbing, the favorite pastime on Cybertron, especially among the warrior class." Arcee said with a smirk.

Jack briefly considered asking about how just tossing a big metal ball around could be THE favorite pastime of giant robots but before he could, Miko said "Come on, Raf! Show us some moves!"

Rolling his eyes and pushing his glasses up, the twelve year old said "Oh, all right."

As his young friend began dancing in slightly jerking movements, Jack laughed and said "Of course - The robot." Bumblebee soon started matching him move for move and Ratchet turned from his station to watch for a moment before he scoffed with rolled eyes and went back to monitoring the bridge's restart progress to make sure there were no problems.

Jack suddenly noticed something and looked around as he asked "W-where's Optimus?"

"Went for a drive." Arcee said before leaning closer with a smirk and said conspiringly "Primes don't party."

"Coming at ya!" Bulkhead yelled earning Jack's attention as Bulkhead lobbed the lobbing ball just a little too hard and high. The sphere glanced off of 'Wheeljack's' hands, slammed into the wall and _almost_ landed on the ground bridge controls. It would have hit the device if Jack hadn't thrust out his hand and a catcher's mitt made out of pure will power stopped it just a foot from hitting.

Giving a sigh of relief, Ratchet nodded his thanks to Jack before he glared at Bulkhead and said "You know, I am attempting to perform sensitive calibrations here!"

Bulkhead rubbed the back of his head with a nervous chuckle. 'Wheeljack' took the ball out of Jack's energy construct, giving him a curious look before he said "Sorry, doc. Guess we're a little charged up." Turning his gaze to the ground bridge controls, he asked "You built this bridge from scratch, huh?"

"I did." Ratchet said, gaze returning to the monitor.

"That's quite a feat of engineering." 'Wheeljack' complimented.

"Yes, it is." Ratchet said while glancing upwards pleased.

"Something wrong with it?" 'Wheeljack' asked.

"I didn't care for the way it sounded this last jump. I put it in shut-down." Ratchet said, drastically simplifying what he and the male human Kids had helped him with.

"What if you need to use it?" 'Wheeljack' asked.

"Ooh, I can't disrupt the defrag process without causing irreparable damage." Ratchet said.

"So, uh, how long will the defrag take?" 'Wheeljack asked.

"A few hours, if we're lucky. Maybe longer." Ratchet said, turning to look at 'Wheeljack'.

"Huh." 'Wheeljack' hummed to himself, before walking away. Ratchet watched him go with a considering look before shrugging and turning back to the ground bridge station.

'Wheeljack' meanwhile had walked over towards Jack and said "That was pretty interesting what you did back there kid, I wasn't aware that humans were able to create energy constructs like that."

Jack gave a self depreciating smile as he said "They normally can't." Holding up his ring, he said "This ring allows me to make whatever I can think of."

"Huh, well ain't that interesting." 'Wheeljack' mused, his optics laser focused on the ring. He only turned away a moment later when Bulkhead told him to stop hogging the ball.

Scene Change: The Nemesis

Starscream scowled as he watched his strike team from a monitor on the bridge. Turning to Soundwave, he said "Makeshift still hasn't opened their ground bridge or otherwise transmitted their coordinates. His disguise may be flawless, but he won't fool the Autobots forever."

Scene Change: Omega One

It was now the story telling time of the party and Bulkhead had everyone's attention as he said "So there we were - No communications, low on energon, surrounded by cons. So, what does Wheeljack do? Tell them, Jackie."

'Wheeljack' smiled and said "Well, what I do best."

Bulkhead laughed and said "He Chucks his only grenade smack into the primary heat exchanger."

Shrugging, 'Wheeljack' said "Yeah, seemed like a good idea at the time."

"The joint went supernova!" Bulkhead chortled.

"Awesome!" Miko said with almost literal stars in her eyes.

"Yeah, I'm still picking shrapnel out of my backside." Bulkhead said, brushing his hand over said backside.

"I'm not surprised given the size of your backside." Arcee taunted with a smirk. 

"There it is, Jackie's signature - One grenade, one shot." Bulkhead said with a chuckle before realizing that Wheeljack was silent, watching the progress bars on the ground bridge monitor as it finished a section of its restart and started another. Looking concerned, Bulkhead nudged him and said "Hey, you all right?"

"What?" Wheeljack asked.

"You don't seem like yourself." Bulkhead said with a frown.

"Well, what do you mean?" 'Wheeljack' asked trying to play it cool.

"I don't know. You seem quiet." Bulkhead said, still frowning.

"Aw, I've been stuck in a can too long. I should go topside before I get stir-crazy." 'Wheeljack' said, waving off Bulkhead's concern.

"I have patrol in the morning. You can come with." Bulkhead offered.

"Let's go now." 'Wheeljack' said, trying to capitalize that fact.

"And break up the party? Come on! The gang's loving you! You got to tell them about the battle of Darkmount Pass!" Bulkhead said, now eagerly.

"You tell them. You're better at it. How about if Miko here shows me the rest of your base?" 'Wheeljack' said gesturing at Miko.

"Well, yeah, sure, Jackie. Hey, go ahead." Bulkhead said, sounding slightly wrong footed.

"Tour starts now. Do you play any instruments? Can you fly? Have you thrashed more Decepticons than Bulkhead?" Miko asked, already firing off questions to the Cybertronian as they walked away.

Arcee gave Bulkhead a concerned look and said "You all right?"

"Yeah, just, out of sorts, I guess." Bulkhead said with a frown.

"Don't tell me you're jealous." Arcee said with slightly wide from surprise optics.

"Ha! That Miko's making a new friend? Come on." Bulkhead laughed her concern off before he turned pensive again and continued "Something, something's just not right about Wheeljack."

"Bulkhead, really? He's traveled galaxies. You haven't seen him for centuries. He could just be rocket-lagged or, well, bots do change, you know?" Arcee said kindly.

Bulkhead though gave a firm shake of his head and said "Not Jackie."

Scene Change: Nemesis Brig

Wheeljack grunted as he tried to lift one of his legs up only to sag again. Seeing this, his guard stepped forward and shoved his blaster into Wheeljack's face and said "You're not going anywhere, Autobot."

As he turned away, Wheeljack grinned and with far more energy than just a moment from before wrapped his legs around the drone. As he began wildly firing in panic, Wheeljack rolled his eyes and said "Blah, blah, blah." His knee slammed into the side of the drone's head and the action had the drone's blaster fire go towards the controls of his shackles, the fifth shot finally slamming into the console. Wheeljack released the now dead drone as his cuffs came undone and smirked as he landed easily, ready to give even more Cons a bad day.

Scene Change: Omega One

"So, that's pretty much it. Energon stockpile, power generator, armory - Everything you need to blow the joint sky high." Miko said nonchalantly.

'Wheeljack' glanced around for a moment as he asked "Where is this bunker located, exactly?"

Miko turned around and smirked as she said "If I told you, I'd have to rip out your spark chamber." She clenched her right fist menacingly but 'Wheeljack' didn't react and she grinned as she said "Kidding! Just outside Jasper, Nevada, though I don't expect that to mean too much to you."

"Can't say it does." 'Wheeljack' said while on the inside, he thought 'Finally! Lord Starscream will be pleased to know where the Autobots reside.' Shaking his head from that thought, 'Wheeljack' asked "So, uh, any way out of here besides bridging?"

"Why? You're not planning to leave already, are you?" Miko asked with a frown. When 'Wheeljack' shook his head, she grinned and said "Come on. I'll show you, we're almost there."

They came back out into the common room as Bulkhead said "Look, I know Wheeljack better than anyone."

"Hey. What are you guys talking about?" 'Wheeljack' asked trying to come off nonchalantly.

"I was just telling the guys all about you and me at the battle of Darkmount Pass." Bulkhead said casually.

"That's a heck of a story." 'Wheeljack said, also trying to sound casual.

"Yep. Tell it." Bulkhead said, now sounding stern.

"Talk, talk, talk. How about after we go off-roading?" Miko said, waving off all the serious talk.

"Miko! Stay out of this!" Bulkhead said sternly causing Miko to blink in surprise.

"Bulkhead, easy." Arcee said trying to calm the wrecker down.

"I'm not sure I –" 'Wheeljack started only to be interrupted as Bulkhead barked "Tell it!"

Giving off an annoyed huff, 'Wheeljack' said "Fine. You want to live in the past, Bulkhead? The Wreckers were trapped between a Decepticon patrol and a smelting pit. The Cons were vicious, bearing down on us with everything they had. Me and Bulkhead engaged the enemy, left them for scrap, then I made us a way out using their backsides as stepping-stones to cross the molten metal. Isn't that how it happened?"

"Yeah. That's exactly how it happened." Bulkhead said, and 'Wheeljack' couldn't help the slight look of relief on his face. Relief which died a fiery death as Bulkhead continued "Except for one little thing. I wasn't there."

"What?" Ratchet asked from his station and Bulkhead grimly continued "I'd already left the Wreckers to join up with Optimus, but you wouldn't know that if all you did was access Wheeljack's public-service record."

"Bulkhead, what does that have to do with - Ahh!" Miko started to ask only to yelp as 'Wheeljack' grabbed her around the waist and retreated back towards the ground bridge tunnel.

"Miko!" Bulkhead yelled, taking a step only to stop as _Makeshift_ said "Stay back, or I'll squeeze her into pulp."

"Wheeljack, what are you doing?" Miko asked, instinctively trying to push against Makeshift's grip.

Growling, Bulkhead said "Decepticon coward! Let the girl go and face me!"

"Don't fret. Plenty of fighting to come." Makeshift said with an evil chuckle.

"Is there a real Wheeljack?" Jack asked even as he pointed his ring towards Makeshift.

"Oh, indeed, and I expect Lord Starscream is making sport of him." Makeshift said with a chuckle.

Scene Change: Nemesis Flight Deck

Starscream was pacing as he asked Soundwave "Are you certain we are at the coordinates you supplied to Makeshift?" At Soundwave's nod, he continued "Then, what is taking him!?"

"Maybe they gave your boy such a hero's welcome, he got the warm and fuzzies and decided to switch sides." Wheeljack taunted as he walked up to the large group fearlessly.

Starscream flinched as he saw the Wrecker was free before he rallied and asked "Do you not see that you are vastly outnumbered?"

Smirking behind his face shield as he cracked his knuckles, Wheeljack said "I see fellas who might vastly enjoy watching me pound some dents into you."

Starscream drew back slightly in shock before he rallied again and pointed forward as he ordered "Destroy him!" All of the Decepticons rushed forwards and Wheeljack counter charged beginning to shred through them.

Scene Change: Omega One

Jack's eyes flicked to Miko's, who's in turn flicked to her weapon generator on her wrist before flicking back to Jack's. Jack gave an inscrutable jerk of his head to the side. Miko frowned but understood Jack's thoughts as he calmly said "Raf."

"Right." Raf said with a determined frown. An instant later, there was the crackling of electricity, Raf was gone from his position beside Jack, and Makeshift gave a full body twitch before he woodenly put Miko back on the ground. Miko quickly ran over to stand beside Jack who pulled her into his side in a quick one armed hug before letting her go even as he and the Autobots kept their gaze on Makeshift who had almost immediately began shifting back to his original form.

Once he had changed back, Raf's voice came out of his mouth as he said "Alright, I've got full control and know what he was planning. He was supposed to open the ground bridge to a set of coordinates where the Nemesis is waiting and allow a large amount of Decepticons to invade the base."

"Then let's turn that ambush back on them. We need to get the real Wheeljack out as well." Jack said, going into full Green Lantern mode and floating a foot off the ground as he finished speaking.

Miko nodded and Iron Man's Hulk Buster armor formed around her, though purple and pink rather than red and gold. Slamming her now large fists together, Miko's voice easily got her eager grin across as she said "Let's wreck them!"

"Yeah!" Bulkhead said, also slamming his fists together with a grin.

"It seems that fate has a sense of theatrical timing." Ratchet said musingly before smirking slightly and said "Ground Bridge restart finished. Rafael, please provide coordinates."

"Right." Raf said, before exiting Makeshift who slumped to the floor, put in a forced shut down for them to question later. Indeed, even as Raf entered the coordinates at the human computer station linked to the bridge Bumblebee was already restraining the unconscious Con with a set of cuffs around his wrists.

With the Con secured, Ratchet opened the bridge and the three Field Autobots along with Jack and Miko stormed down the tunnel coming out to a sight of carnage. Several corpses of Vehicon Drones lays scattered over the flight deck in a large circle with one non drone figure standing in the middle of said circle.

Smirking towards them from where he had two Vehicon Drones impaled on his swords, the _real_ Wheeljack asked "Heya Bulkhead, what took you buddy?"

Laughing, Bulkhead said "We had a bit of a pest problem back at base. Get over here and I'll tell you all about it when we get back."

With everyone else supplying covering fire, Wheeljack was soon at the portal and the group pulled back, the portal closing behind them. From where he had been standing near the back of the still living group of Drones Starscream let out a scream of rage.

Time Skip: A Day Later

Miko was playing her guitar again, Jack, Raf and Bumblebee dancing to the music while Arcee stood nearby stoically. Groaning to himself as finished welding the last piece of metal needed to cover the ground bridge repairs he and Jack had made earlier, Ratchet said "It's like a recurring nightmare."

Standing near him were Optimus, Wheeljack, and Bulkhead who grinned as he said "Now that you're part of Team Prime, we need to pick out a vehicle mode for you. I have some ideas."

Rubbing the back of his head, Wheeljack said "Uh, about that, Bulk - Now that my ship's repaired, I'm itching to know what else I might find out there."

"Wait. You're leaving? Why?" Miko asked as the kids came running over.

Smiling fondly, if a bit sadly, Bulkhead said "Because some bots never change."

"Wheeljack, know that you'll always have a haven here." Optimus said.

Wheeljack nodded but stumbled a little as Bulkhead slapped his back and said "Jackie never stays, but he always comes back." The two bumped fists at that and soon the two Wreckers ground bridged to the Jackhammer, the kids and their partners with them.

Glancing at his ship then back at Bulkhead, Wheeljack said "There's room for two, Bulk, even with a backside like yours. Who knows who we might find out there - Some of the old crew?"

Bulkhead cocked his head before he glanced over his shoulder down at the kids. Miko looked down and clasped her right bicep with her left hand and Jack put his hand on her shoulder in comfort. But she needn't have worried. Looking back at Wheeljack, Bulkhead said "Heh. It sounds like fun, Jackie.

But my ties are here now with them, with her."

Miko smiled at his words and Wheeljack gave a small nod of understanding before he looked down at Miko and said "If anything happens to my favorite Wrecker, I'm coming after you."

"I'll take good care of him." Miko promised before she pulled out her phone and said "Now, say 'cheese'." Her camera clicked and on the screen appeared a picture of the two Wreckers standing side by side.

END

Author's Notes: Update Schedule and Poll on my profile. At the time of this posting the poll is about whether or not to add one more story to my roster, plan for said story on my potential stories section so please have a look through that.

Whoo, wow, it was really hard to get this one out. First of all, it took a few days to even get my butt in gear to start it after my work for Zaboomafoo and then I kept starting and stopping for a few days. I blame the fact until the very end that I was really just transcribing the episode until we got to Raf showing how handy he can be even if he doesn't have the same temperament as Jack and Miko. But it's done now.

Speaking of getting things done, Zaboomafoo might be caught up to Tailor now but I need to do High Winds on the High Seas next. But given that there's four stories between now and when I'll post that story, instead of doing them all at once, I'll do one chapter of that than a story on the roster and repeat until I get to the time to actually post all those chapters so Hunting Decepticons should be out much sooner than this one was. And with that said, this is Tac101, signing out. 


	4. Chapter 4

4\. Convoy

Story Start: Autobot Outpost Omega One

The Autobots and Kids' calm day was rather rudely interrupted when a voice shouted from Ratchet's station "Prime! Prime!"

"Special agent Fowler? To what do we owe -" Optimus started only to be cut off as Fowler said "What else? 'Cons! I chased them off with some hard ordnance, but not before they blew me out of the sky."

Miko laughed and asked "Again?"

"They tried a smash-and-grab for the DNGS." Agent Fowler said with a clenched fist.

"The What's-it?" Arcee asked in confusion

"Dynamic nuclear generation system, AKA, DNGS." Agent Fowler said before pushing a button to show a picture of the device and continued "It's a prototype energy source I'm transporting to the coast for testing."

"That's absurd. Why would Starscream bother with such primitive technology?" Ratchet asked disbelievingly.

"I'm guessing to make a big fat primitive weapon of mass destruction. If this baby were to melt down, it would irradiate this state and the four next door." Agent Fowler said while clasping his left hand over his right fist in front of his chin.

"Uh…Did agent Fowler say what state he was currently in?" Raf asked nervously.

"I'm a sitting duck here, prime. I need you to spin up your bridge and send the DNGS to its destination before the 'cons come back for it." Fowler said, making another fist with his right hand.

Optimus shook his head and said solemnly "I'm afraid that sending such a volatile device through a ground bridge is out of the question. If there were to be an accident during its transmission, the radiation of which you speak could propagate through the ground bridge vortex and harm all 50 states…And beyond."

"You got any better ideas?" Agent Fowler asked.

Ten minutes later, Optimus was on site with the DNGS in his trailer and his engine revving. In his cab, Agent Fowler clasped his hands in eagerness before setting them on Optimus' steering wheel only for the bot to say "Ah! No need, agent Fowler. I will handle the driving."

Crossing his arms with a frown, Fowler said "It's gonna be a _long_ trip."

Next to Optimus, Bulkhead and Bumblebee turned on their lights and revved their engines.

"Autobots, roll out!" Optimus called out and the trio put action to words, leaving Agent Fowler's crashed Beach Hawk behind for someone else to recover.

When they reached the nearest highway Ratchet said over the radio "We are locked on to your coordinates, Optimus. Barring any complications, you should reach the drop off point by sundown."

A couple of minutes later, they came across and old beat up pickup truck and Agent Fowler began honking the horn as he yelled out "Move it, Gramps!"

Even as the truck pulled over Optimus asked "Agent Fowler, is that really necessary?"

"Ah, don't tell me you're one of them textbook drivers." Agent Fowler said, crossing his arms as he did so.

As the convoy reached a hilly area a helicopter began following them, one of its passengers saying "They're transporting in an unarmed civilian truck. Send in the ground units."

"You know, you're saving my bacon here, Prime." Agent Fowler mused.

"I am proud to be of service." Optimus said.

Agent Fowler then smirked down at Optimus' radio and said "'Course, not like I'd need your help if you and the 'cons had stuck to tearing up your own corner of the galaxy."

"Are you suggesting that no evil existed on your world before we arrived?" Optimus questioned.

"Oh Well, it was a Different evil." Agent Fowler said hesitatingly before he rallied and said "How about some radio? You seem like a Nashville-sound kind of guy."

Before he could touch the radio, he noticed the helicopter following them and he said "That's the one! The 'con who shot me down! Who is he? Wingnut? Dingbat? Skyguy?"

"Watch your rear views." Bulkhead called over the radio. As a line of five cars came up boxing the Wrecker in on either side with the other three behind he continued "Feeling a little constricted without the use of my fists here, boss."

"Remain in vehicular mode unless absolutely necessary." Optimus ordered.

As the car on Bulkhead's right side moved to block him from the front, the first rear car seamlessly taking its place, Agent Fowler mused "A whole team of 'cons."

"What? I'm not picking up anything." Ratchet said, looking at his monitor in confusion before musing "They must be utilizing a cloaking technology."

One of the cars suddenly pulled up to where Bumblebee was and began making the Scout play follow the leader. Another car sped up to drive next to Optimus' cab and the sunroof opened, a completely suited human standing up and pointing a gun at Agent Fowler and demanded "Pull over!"

"Well, I'll be dipped!" Agent Fowler said surprised.

"Our assailants are not Decepticons - They are human." Optimus said over the radio.

"Human?!" Ratchet and the two boys asked surprised before Miko stepped up and said "Oh, please. Taking on our bots? They're roadkill!"

Meanwhile the man up in the helicopter said "Gentlemen stop their engines."

The man holding Fowler at gun point shifted, about to fire only for Optimus to swerve left hitting the other vehicle causing the man to stagger and his round to hit the road in front of Optimus, the big rig easily going through the resulting explosion.

"Who are these guys?" Agent Fowler asked himself, surprised at the power held in the rounds the man's gun fired.

"Autobots, maintain your cover and apply minimal force. Disarmament only." Optimus ordered

Another car began pulling up on Optimus' left only to get bashed by Bumblebee. A few hits later, the enemy car swerved, hit an out cropping and flipped over. Seeing this, the man in the helicopter said "Those are not civilian drivers."

Meanwhile Optimus was taking the turns rather fast, skidding along the curves like only professional stunt drivers could match. As Fowler was flung from side to side in his seat, he put a hand over his mouth to keep from vomiting and said "Could use some air."

Optimus opened the window and Fowler leaned out only to notice one of the enemies hopping out of his car and onto the trailer hitch. Seeing this, Fowler ordered "Prime! Bear right!" The enemy managed to barely stay on board but Prime's left swerve knocked the car he had originally been riding off the cliff. As he began trying to cut through the hitch again, Fowler got out of the cab and grabbed him by the back and held him out over the road as he declared "You're gonna tell me everything I want to kno-"

Fowler suddenly lost his captive due to an unfortunately placed tree branch and he grit his teeth and swung his fist in frustration. Getting back into the cab and putting on his seatbelt, he was surprised when a voice said over his hand held radio _"I do hope you take better care of the DNGS than you do your captives."_

Picking up the radio, Fowler glanced at the helicopter in the side mirror and said "Special Agent William Fowler here. Identify yourself!"

"I am Silas. But of greater consequence to you, we are MECH. Fair warning - We will be helping ourselves to your device, even if it means inflicting casualties." The man said.

"Is that so? Tell me, SI, what's the market price for a DNGS these days?" Fowler asked.

"What makes you think we intend to sell it, Agent Fowler?" Silas asked causing Fowler to frown heavily before Silas continued "There's a war brewing between the new world order and the newest. The victor will be the side armed with the most innovative technology." As Silas spoke, one of the cars still in the back of the group lined up with Optimus' trailer and the passenger climbed out of the sunroof and onto the hood of the car. He shot three electrical devices onto the bars keeping the trailer's door shut before pushing a button on his gun. The devices energized then exploded knocking the bars apart down the middle and causing the door to roll open.

Seeing this, instead of being worried, Agent Fowler smirked and said "So, Si You think MECH has all the most radical tech?" An instant later, there was the roar of a motorcycle as Arcee shot out of the trailer doing a wheelie, Sadie, her holographic driver in place. Arcee slammed onto the hood of the car, knocking the passenger back through the sun roof and causing the car to spin out and flip while Arcee drove off after the others, the last car behind them crashing into the flipped car and flipping away with a minor explosion as she did so.

"Definitely not civilian drivers." The helicopter pilot said with a shake of his head.

"Later, Si." Agent Fowler said smugly.

As he was putting the radio back on the passenger seat though Optimus said "Agent Fowler, do not take your "Silas" lightly. Megatron preached the very same ideology before plunging Cybertron into the great war that destroyed our world." Agent Fowler frowned in contemplation at the Prime's words.

A moment later, Ratchet said over the coms "Optimus, prepare to initiate phase 2. Five miles ahead, to the South, you will reach the rendezvous point."

Scene Change: The Nemesis.

" _Five miles ahead, to the South, you will reach the rendezvous point._ "

Starscream grinned as he heard Soundwave repeat the transmission and said "So, the Autobots are outside the confines of their base and sound otherwise engaged. Which means they will never see us coming." Turning to a group of five Flyer Vehicon Drones, he said "Find them and scrap them!"

"Yes, Lord Starscream." They said with hand over spark salutes.

Scene Change: With The Convoy

"There's our destination point." Agent Fowler said with a point at a pair of tunnels, one for the road they were on and the other for the train that was rapidly approaching. His words were immediately followed by Optimus' order of "Autobots, keep a tight formation."

Arcee led the way, wheeling over the guard rail and going down the hill side to the tracks, the rest following at the end of the rail where the hill was slightly more forgiving for their larger frames. As they came upon the tunnel the train caught up with them and then passed, the group beginning to quickly regain speed and catch up. As another group of MECH cars that had been tailing them came up to the tunnel entrance Bulkhead quickly transformed, shot the roof of the tunnel entrance blocking them with the resulting debris then transformed to catch up with the others.

Up in the air, Silas smirked and said "Tactical error - Only one way out."

But as the Autobots came out of the tunnel the flight of drones Starscream had sent came up next to Silas' helicopter, the man and his pilot looking at them in confusion.

On the ground, Agent Fowler saw the fliers and asked "Air support? Ours or theirs?"

"Optimus, you have company!" Ratchet warned over the radio right before the drones fired their missiles.

"Military fired on one of their own?" Silas asked in shock.

"Sir, the DNGS!" His pilot said in alarm. Indeed, even as Optimus took evasive action the trailer broke away from the semi, the missiles slamming into the trailer. After a tense moment, the pilot hesitatingly said "Sir, I'm not reading any radiation. The DNGS didn't melt down."

"No, it did not." Silas said contemplatively.

The Autobots came to a quick stop as they reached the edge of a cliff. As they turned around the drones all transformed and landed in front of them. Seeing this, Optimus said "Agent Fowler, I'm afraid that if you and we are to survive, it has become absolutely necessary to drop our cover." Transforming, Optimus held Agent Fowler in his right hand while the special agent did his best not to throw up.

Looking down from the air at the two sides facing each other, Silas smirked and said "So, the rumors are true. Living technology stands before us - Though perhaps not for very long."

Back on the ground, Optimus placed Fowler on a convenient ledge and said "Remain here."

"Will do." Agent Fowler said easily.

Bulkhead stepped forward hitting his fists together as he said "After a long road trip, it feels good to get out of the car, stretch my legs And kick some tailpipe!" That was the cue for both sides to rush towards each other and the fight was on.

After about half a minute of watching from above, the pilot said "Sir, if the DNGS wasn't in the truck-"

"Yes, that." Silas said before he pushed the button to connect back to Fowler's radio and said "Special agent Fowler, you lead a charmed life, walking among titans."

" _Come on down. I'll introduce you."_ Fowler said mildly.

"In good time. But at the moment, I'm too busy wondering how the DNGS might have vanished into thin air without a trace." Silas said leadingly.

Flashback: In The Tunnel

The Autobots quickly pulled up to the train, Bumblebee transforming and climbing up to the top before tapping on the door of the car he was on. A man in army fatigues and holding a rifle slid the door open and Bumblebee waved. Meanwhile, Optimus' trailer folded down and Arcee picked up the DNGS, handing it to Bumblebee who carefully placed it inside the car. A few moments later the Autobots came out of the tunnel, the trailer sides back in place.

End Flashback

"Now if you'll excuse me I have a train to catch." Silas said looking down at his monitor which saw a dot traveling down train tracks.

As the helicopter pulled away, Agent Fowler barked into his radio "Prime! Silas got wise to phase 2!"

"I understand." Optimus said. But his inattention cost him and one of the Cons slammed a fallen tree trunk into his head, sending him falling off the cliff. He tried to get back up only to collapse.

"Prime, do you read me? Prime?!" Fowler barked into the radio, but didn't get any response.

Scene Change: Omega One

"Optimus is down!" Miko said in concern.

"Mech's gonna grab the DNGS." Raf continued.

"Not if I can help it." Jack said, and in a flash he was in full Green Lantern gear, mask included. The next instant, his ring created a doorway out of some alienistic looking parts on the floor, a green portal rapidly appearing in it before he turned, crossed his arms over his chest and fell backwards into it, the portal closing and the doorway vanishing immediately after.

Raf and Miko blinked at what had just happened before Raf glanced at Miko and asked "Diiiid you know he could do that?"

"No, but he's got the right idea." Miko said, smirking as her own alien device unfolded a portal doorway on the floor that she immediately dived into with an excited "Woohoo!"

Rolling his optics with a sigh, Ratchet said "Ugggh, _teenagers_."

Scene Change: In The Air, Five Miles Above The Train

A now pink and purple toned Iron Maiden armored Miko quickly caught up to Jack and said " _Dude_ , I can't believe you were just going to leave me back at base like that!"

"You got here with your own gear didn't you?" Jack asked mildly as the pair rapidly dove for the deck, sights locked on the helicopter below them that was in turn heading straight for the train in front of it.

"So not the point!" Miko said with a huff even as a compartment popped open on her shoulder and a six inch missile shot out and curved around the helicopter's top rotors before hitting the side. Immediately after, the helicopter began rapidly sparking before its power plant died and the vehicle began immediately loosing speed and altitude, the helicopter's auto rotating propeller function keeping it from crashing into the ground, even if it was a rougher than normal landing.

Before anyone could move for the helicopter's doors a green dome of energy covered the helicopter and the pair landed, Miko raising her arms as a multitude of other weapons popped up on her armor. Behind them, the train continued on its way, MECH having not had a chance to even deal with the people on board of said train before the pair had stopped them.

Inside the helicopter, Silas' stunned features soon smoothed out to a narrow eyed look as he got out of the helicopter and said "So, a customizable Iron Man suit and a Green Lantern. I hadn't realized that we lived in a world of comic books."

"You'd be rather surprised what's out there." Jack said, trusting in the ring's secrecy functions to prevent his voice being identified later on the slim chance of the helicopter having an external microphone to record said voice.

"Indeed. Tell me, how much is the Government paying you to work for them? MECH could use people with your abilities, and we pay quite well, I assure you." Silas said, rather calmly for a man trapped inside a giant dome. Behind him, his men had gotten out, and were all standing with weapons in their hands, pointed at the ground but ready for use if given half the chance.

Felicity Jones' voice came from the external speakers on Miko's suit as she scoffed and said "Dude, you know the source material for what we're using and you still think we'd work for a guy like you? I think once you're in prison you should have your head examined."

Silas' eyes narrowed and he said "Pity."

"I'm sure it is." Jack said before his ring formed arms with clamps on their ends from inside the dome, his prisoners unable to react fast enough when they shot inwards viper fast and held them in place as his ring formed a wraith stunner in his off hand. Quick on the draw, Miko formed her own stun weapon immediately after and the pair shot all five prisoners, knocking them out cold. Jack dropped the dome and the pair began securing them with handcuffs Miko made.

Soon after, the Autobots pulled up with Agent Fowler and he hopped out of Optimus' cab as he said "Good work you two. Not only did you keep the DNGS out of MECH's hands, you bagged their ring leader."

"Happy to help sir!" Miko said with a cheeky salute, a small metallic clang ringing out as her armor's hand hit her helmet.

"Well let's see if Ratchet can't help us get them back to Unit E headquarters before they wake up. I want to have a _talk_ with Si, should be rather interesting." Fowler said with a shark like grin.

END

Author's Notes: Well, that happened. So Convoy pretty much happened exactly like in the show except for at the end. Course, we all know that Silas won't stayed locked up for long given the extremes his minions go to in order to keep him alive in the show, but that's for down the road. Hunting Decepticons is up next then I think I'm going to do my other two RWBY stories followed by my One Piece stories. So until then, Tac out.


End file.
